THE Shirley Hannan National Portrait award at the Bega Valley Regional Gallery closes this Saturday so you only have one week left to see the exhibition.

There will be a floor talk in the gallery this Wednesday at noon by artist Kerry McInnis, one of the finalists.

If you would like to learn more about the way a portrait is created attend the artist’s talk.

To book please phone the gallery on 6499 2268.

Entry is $5 for the talk and a light lunch.

The People’s Choice Award for the exhibition will also be announced on Wednesday after the talk.

Visit the gallery to have your say in who should receive the $500 People’s Choice Award.

The Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award closes on Saturday, July 5.

Venie’s book launch

at Art Gallery

Venie Holmgren’s autobiography, A Sense of Direction, will be launched at the Bega Regional Art Gallery this Thursday, July 3 at 12.30pm, by another local author, June Keir.

A Sense of Direction is Ms Holmgren’s story of her reaction to widowhood when she “got itchy feet”, bought a campervan, left Western Australia, and traversed deserts, tracks and ranges across Australia.

“The book took about a year to write.

“It’s interesting when you begin writing from memory, the way things begin to surface,” Ms Holmgren said.

Although Ms Holomgren has two prose books published, she is better known for her poetry as she has had seven poetry books published since 1989.

A Sense of Direction is a travel story like no other, said Ms Holmgren.